live/breathe/yoga

I taught my first class today at YogaBeat in Regent Park. What a challenge! I had three women in my class, all of different ages and abilities. One woman had a quad, knee and shoulder injury and one was younger but very new to yoga. However, I learned a lot from these women and for that, thanks ladies!

First, I learned that teaching a class of newcomers requires A LOT more instruction. Be specific, use terms like right and left and break down each pose into all the tiny movements they require. Also, teach with the breath. This sounds obvious, but sometimes when you get a group of “yoga veterans” you forget that when you first started doing yoga the first thing to go was your breathing. Beginners especially need to be constantly reminded to breathe because the pose that is now easy for you is still really difficult for them. I remember I hated doing lunges because I found them so difficult and I still forget my breath in backbends. Teaching with the breath is not only a means to maintain flow in the movements but also a way of subtly reminding them that the breath is the most important aspect of yoga, and life. At least I think it is. Where would we be if we weren’t breathing?

Second, encourage them to take a longer stance in their Lunges and Warrior poses. I find people who are just starting out (and I was so guilty of this when I first started) tend to shorten their stance to accommodate for the strength they currently lack in their legs and core. Taking a longer stance, when possible, helps to build that strength and stability and they will get results faster. Also, take into consideration all the common tendencies in each pose. What were some things you did when you first started that could put you out of alignment and possibly injure you? Beginners will probably do all of them. Encourage them to bend the knees slightly in forward bends to prevent hyper-extension of the knee. Tell them to bend the elbows in Cobra so that they have more room to pull the heart forward and lay the shoulder blades on the back. All of these things are important and help the student gain strength and body awareness while preventing any longterm damage.

Lastly, and most importantly, be flexible on what you’re going to teach. I had some challenging poses planned and then took a look at what my students were capable of and had to improvise from there. Sure, they could do Vasisthasana (Side Plank) but two of them had to bring their top leg in front because they couldn’t stack the feet yet and there was no way any of them were going to bring their top leg into Vrksasana (Tree Pose). That said, it is good to challenge them to try a pose they have never done before or maybe think they can’t do because this can be empowering. I remember the first time I got into handstand and how awesome I felt after having tried it. That’s what I want for my students. I want them to come out of class feeling a sense of accomplishment, a little stronger and a lot more centred. If they feel better than they did before the class then I’ve done my job properly. Teaching isn’t just giving instructions, it’s about holding space for people and building them up so that they can bring this sense of wellbeing and empowerment to their lives outside of class. I feel grateful that I had this experience, as challenging as it was, because I think it made me a better teacher.